Looking Bad on a Bigger Scale - Game Over?

It is Goofy.  All the regular tactics Stocks and company have used in past elections are just not working like before.  Here are some disparate voices all agreeing that Stocks days may be numbered.

From Logan Jenkins today . . .

• In Encinitas, how highly will Stocks be valued? Councilman Jerome Stocks is a bright-red target for anyone in Encinitas with a gripe about the powers that have been for the last 12 years. Years ago, Stocks could have made the leap to regional or state office. Now it’s an open question if he’ll be returned to office, a stunning fall if it happens.

From blogger Al Rodbell's take on Turko Files piece last Monday painting a Stocks saves the day meme.

KUSI.com - KUSI News - San Diego CA - News, Weather, PPR

Rodbell's post, Encinitas Mayor Jerome Stocks Saves Woman from Homelessness, is a really good analysis of the deceit within the Turko presentation.  Turko is an entertainer and this is pre-election theatre.  Please read the whole thing, but let us give you a taste. As Rodbell says of the premise,

"There's only one problem, the narrative, the subtext that this conveys is full of holes . . ."

What's wrong with this narrative that glides along many themes of our political culture. It's the story of a strong forthright elected leader who is willing to buck the bureaucracy--it can be local, state or the federal government itself. The meme (great word for the little factoids that most people build their images of the world on) is one that is fostered most by the tea party crowd that has captured the Republican party. 

This five minute segment on the local news featuring a crusading reporter Michael Turko, illustrates how a good story beats reality every time--especially, when you have the dramatic elements of an elderly widow being thrown out of her home by a heartless city government. The reporter goes to the very top, the Mayor, and within a few days, together they have reversed months of government intransigence to allow the tearful grateful women back into her home. Two heroes, splashed over television and the Internet, that just may sway an election and change the structure of a small city.

At the heart of this is the false impression that Stocks is anything more than 1/5 of the council.  He pontificates like he is more than this and the whole thing is framed to support him.  Seriously, read it.

Bruce Ehlers made the comment, and uses a EYNU clip, Mayor Stocksplaining.

More of Jerome justifying his making exceptions to code … In this clip from the August 15th City Council meeting, Jerome says he thinks Council can make exceptions to the ordinances. He says the Council can make exceptions. Listen for yourself.

 

• At 0:21/4:49 Jerome Stocks says, “I think our staff did an excellent job of pointing it out that it is their job to apply municipal code as it is written” … 
• At 0:53/4:49 Jerome continues, “Staff doesn’t have the authority to apply discretion the way the City Council does …” 
• At 1:17/4:49 Jerome goes further describing the appeal process and Council’s authority saying “They (staff) have to apply the rules as they (the rules) currently exist. If you don’t agree with the rules, you bring it to us. If you want to make an exception, It’s our authority and that’s why we are here. 

I think this explains a lot about Jerome’s attitude toward how the City’s rules work and apply to others but not him. Apparently in this case he thinks staff should apply the rules but in your case he thinks he gets to have an exception. This issue is all about honesty and trust. If he screwed up, he should admit it and apologize. If we can’t trust him to follow the ordinances as written or admit when he has violated them, how can we trust him to be honest on Council. Unfortunately this arrogance is not an isolated incident. 

We need a change at City Hall. Dump Stocks

Local Conservative Contrarian . . .

who has never had anything good to say about Maggie Houlihan, Teresa Barth, Leucadia, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Historic Encinitas, coastal residents or minority voices has this to say,

Mayor Stocks has had his time in the public trough long enough.

Hey, call me Goofy. The link to this last is yours to find in the local press as I don't feel like directing traffic to crazy Harry Eller.

All of these above join with Coast News, North Coast Current, EYNU blog, Our Mayor blog, Encinitas Undercover and Leucadia blog to say that Stocks needs to go.  Lies and dirty mailers are contemptible. Breaking the law and thinking it is a joke is unethical. Stealing signs from yards in the middle of the night is cowardly.  Vowing to play fair and then not owning up to your bad behavior or condemning those who act out hatefully on your behalf is the lowest of the low.  Game over.

And Mayor, for the record, Dump Stocks is not hate.  It is simply voter choice. It may hurt your feelings, but it isn't hate.